Screw slotter



March 4, 1952 w. c. ANDERSON 2,587,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. C. AN DERSON SCREW SLOTTER March 4, 1952 Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

March 4, 1952 w, c ANDERSON 2,587,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOB.

March 4, 1952 w. c. ANDERSON 2,537,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 l '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmvrox. M CJzzanstan March 4, 1952 w, c, ANDERSQN 2,587,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

6. M7 50 BY March 4, 1952 w c, ANDERSON 2,587,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

March 4, 1952 w c, ANDERSON 2,587,951

SCREW SLOTTER Filed June 26, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR.

394 Wm C fizz 27152 70 .95 14 BY kWh/f Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCREW SLOTTER of Illinois Application June 26, 1946, Serial No. 679,401

The present invention relates to screw slotters and more particularly to machines for slotting the shanks of screws or similar elements, although the invention may be employed for head slotting as well as shank slotting.

Heretofore screw slotters, whether used for head slotting or shank slotting, have generally employed a rotating turret or wheel provided with a series of slots in the periphery. The wheel received screws or screw blanks from a screw chute and carried them in said slots, as the wheel was intermittently rotated, to a slotter. Each time that the head was brought to rest, a new screw was supplied to the turret at one station, and one of the screws already mounted in the turret was slotted at another station.

Such a machine has a very definite, relatively low, limit in respect to the maximum number of screws per minute at which it can be operated satisfactorily.

The invention contemplates the construction of a screw slotting machine which employs a reciprocating bar and multiple screw carrier moving from a central screw receiving station to one slotter station as the bar moves in one direction and to another slotter station as the bar moves in the opposite direction. The bar is actuated by a cam which has suitable dwells which enable the reciprocating bar to remain stationary during the time that one screw element is received and another screw element is slotted. The capacity of a machine of this type is two or three times as great as the slotters now in common use, i. e. its capacity, depending on the type and size of screw element, varies between three and four hundred per minute.

It, therefore, is an object of the present invention to provide an improved screw slotter which will have a relatively high rate of operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved screw slotter which employs a reciprocating bar for moving screws to and from the point where the screws are to be slotted.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved screw slotter employing a reciprocating bar which during the slotting operation of the screw bodies is positively locked in position to insure accuracy in the slotting operation.

Other and further objects of the present invention subsequently will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part of the present specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure} is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

6 Claims. (01. Ill- 2) Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 45 Figure 7 is a detailed view in vertical section taken along the line 'l--'l of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a view as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line Ill-4 0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 4 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line ll-l I;

Figure 12 is an enlarged front view of the screw carrier;

Figure 13 is a plan View of a detail portion of the carrier shown in Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a cross section taken along the line 14-44 of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing a modification thereof;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken along the line l6--IB of Figure 15;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary view taken substan tially along the line |'l--ll of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken along the line Iii-l8 of Figure 19;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary View in. elevation, with parts broken away, of a modified form of screw transfer means; and

Figure 20 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken along the line 20--2ll of Figure 19.

The general arrangement of the screw slotter comprising the present invention is readily apparent from Figures 1 and 2, from which it will be seen that the entire assembly is mounted on a plurality of base supports or pedestals 20, 22, 24 and 26. The support 20 carries a motor 28 which is connected to a gear box 30 which has a shaft supporting a gear 32. The gear 32 engages a gear 34 mounted on a drive shaft 36. The drive shaft carries a plurality of cams which subsequently will be described, and the drive shaft also has at one end a bevel gear 38.

The shaft 36 is supported in suitable bearing structures in the bases or pedestals 22 and 24. The gear 38 engages another bevel gear 40 which is secured to a shaft 42. The shaft 42 is mounted in two extension members 44 and 46 forming a part of the support 24. The shaft 42 carries a cam 48 which actuates a reciprocable bar 50'. In order to equalize the load on the cam 48 a counterbalance bar 52 is supported in suitable I 3 guide members forming portions of the support bases 24 and 26. This counterbalance bar is driven by the upper portion of cam 48, which has a groove cut 180 opposite to the groove in the lower portion.

The base members 22 and 24 have forwardly extending bearing housings 54 and 56 which support a shaft 58 which is connected through a suitable coupling 60 to a motor 62. The shaft 58 has journaled on it a plurality of levers. or arms 64, 66, 6B and 10 which support the screw slotters r saws. Two of the arms, 64 and 66, carry a shaft 12 which is provided with a suitable sprocket wheel for driving the shaft. One end of the shaft 12 is provided with a suitable fixture. for holding a slot cutting saw 16. Interposed between the lower extremities of the arms 64 and 66 is a driving sprocket which is fixed to the shaft 58 and engages a driving chain 18 which preferably is of the silent chain type.

The arms 68 and 10 are similar to the arms 64 and 66 but are reversed in form and position. The arms 68 and 10 carry a. shaft 80 which at one end is provided with a suitable fixture for supporting the slotting cutter or saw 82. Interposed between the lower extremities of the arms 68 and I0 is a driving sprocket which is fixed to the shaft 58 and engages a driving chain 64 which in turn engages a sprocket on the shaft 80.

The reciprocal bar 50, which is actuated by the cam 48, carries a screw element receiving and carrying block 86' which is arranged to receive screw blanks or headed screw elements from a chute 88'.

By referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the chute 88 terminates closely adjacent the front surface of the block 86. The slide 50 preferably has tapered sides 90 which are fitted in a bed 92 which is supported by the supports 22 and 24 and carries an additional bearing structure 93 for the shaft 36. The bar 50 adjacent its central portion, as may be seen from Figure '4, is provided with a forwardly extending projection 94 which carries the block 86.

It was previously mentioned that the shaft 58 carried arms 64, 66, 66 and 10. Since the arms 66 and 68 are similar, and arms 64 and 10 are similar, a description of arms 68 and 10 will be s-ufiioient for all of these arms. These latter arms are shown in Figures and 6.

From Figure 5 it will be seen that these arms 68v and are interconnected by a bridge portion or bracket 96. The bridge portion 96 adjustably supports a bifurcated arm having a bridge portion 98 and outer extensions I00 and I02. The extensions I00 and I02 have bearings therein for supporting the shaft 80. The bridge portion 98 is provided with a plurality of slots I04 and I06 through which stud bolt fastening means I68 and H0 pass into the lower bridge 96. This adjustment is provided so that the center line through the shaft 80 and through the saw 82 may be adjusted with respect to the screw element carrier so that slots can be correctly cut in different lengths of screws. The bifurcated arm 98 adjacent its lower end carries a boss H2 in which is mounted abolt or shaft II4 on which is secured an arm H6.

The arm H6 at its upper end is provided with a shaft which carries an idler roller H8 which engages the silent chain 84. The position of the arm -I I6 may be fixed so as to provide the proper tension for the chain 84 by adjusting the position of the arm II6 on. the. shaft bolt H4.

4 The position of the upper extremities I00 and I02 of the bracket 98 may be adjusted by small increments by means of, a. threaded adjusting member or rod I20 which engages a threaded recess I22 in the bracket 98. The rod I20 at one extremity is provided with an adjusting knob or wheel I24 located adjacent a support boss I26 whichforms a part of the bridge bracket 96 and in which the rod is journaled and to which it is held against longitudinal movement by collars pinned to the rod. The chain 84 passes over a sprocket wheel I28 which is secured to the shaft and over a driving sprocket I30 which is connected to the driving shaft 58 by means of a clutch fixture I32 splined to the shaft. If desired, driving sprocket I30 can be keyed directly tov shaft 58 without a clutch.

The bracket 96 is provided with an ear I34- which at its upper extremity is provided with. a notch or recess I36. Depending from the bed 62 are a plurality of guide brackets I38 and I40, shown in Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6. The. bracket I38 carries a threaded rod I42 and, similarly, the bracket I46 carries a threaded rod I44. Each ofthe rods at the outer extremity is provided with adjusting and clamping nuts I46 and a washer I48, and is surrounded by a spring I50 whichbears at one end against the ear I34 or the corresponding ear of the other saw mounting bracket corresponding to the bracket 96. The washer I48 is engaged by the other end of a Spring I50. The spring I50, therefore, urges. the, arm 68, and the saw slotter 82 associated therewith toward the screw carrier.

The depending bracket I38 carries a slide. I52 which at one end is provided with a cam follower roller I54. At the other end of the slide I52 there is provided an adjustable stop I56 carried by the ear I34. The stop I56 is located atone extremity of an adjustable member I58 which has a head I60 and may be retained in position by a lock nut I62. This arrangement, therefore, determines the starting and stopping positions of the arm 66 as it is displaced angularly periodically in clockwise and counterclockwise directions as seen in Figure 6.

The cam follower I54 on the slide I52 bears against a cam, I64 which is mounted on the main drive shaft 36. For coordinating the movement ofv the arms68 and 10 with other cooperating elements, additional cams I66 and I68 are mounted on the shaft 36 in theproximity of the cam I64. Similarly, a, plurality ofv corresponding cams I10, I12 and I14 are provided on they shaft 36 for theother arms 64 and 66 to control thefmovement of the. slotting saw 16.

Certain of the elements which are coordinatedin operation by the various cams I64, I66, I68, I10, I12 and I14 are shown in detail in Figures 4, 6' and '1. The bed plate 92 is provided with two similar, spaced posts I16 and I18 which carry a shaft I80. Journaled on the shaft are levers or arms I32, I84, I86 and I88 and a spacing sleeve I98. The several arms I82, I84, I86 and I88 are actuated by cams I12, I66, I14 and I68 respectively;

- By referring more particularly to Figures 4- and 6, the structure of the arm, i84 will be explained. The arm I84 at its forward end carries an adjustably positioned screw head engaging member or clam-p comprising a threaded rod I92 which passes through a threaded opening in the outer extremity of the rod I64 and is retained in position by a lock nut I94. The lower extremity of the threaded rod I92 is pro,-

vided with a reduced diameter portion I 96 which is arranged to engage the head of a screw blank or headed screw body which is positioned in the block 86. The other extremity of the arm I84 is provided with a bifurcated portion I98 which is received between two collars 200 and 202. These collars are mounted on a cam follower rod 204 which has a lower extremity engaging the surface of the cam I66. The lower portion of rod 204 is provided with a fixed collar 206 for engagement by a spring 298 which bears against the lower collar 200. The collars 290 and 202 are formed on a sleeve 2I0 which surrounds a reduced diameter portion 2I2 of the cam follower rod 264. The position of the sleeve 2I0 is determined by the position of an adjusting nut 2 I4 threaded on the rod portion 2 I2. The upper portion 2I6 of the cam follower rod 204 is further reduced in diameter and is surrounded by a spring 2I8. The spring 2I8 bears against the adjusting nut 2I4 and against a guide bracket 220 mounted on the bed plate 92. The guide bracket 220 has an opening through which the reduced diameter portion 2 I6 of the cam follower rod 204 passes.

In operation, the high part of cam I66 (Figure 6) raises rod 204, raising sleeve 2I0 and arm I84 against the action of the light spring 218. When screw clamp I96 contacts the head of a screw and rod 204 continues to rise by the action of cam I66, then spring 206 compresses, and the compression of this spring gives the clamping force to screw clamp I96.

It will be seen that when arm I84 has reached the limit of its travel due to a screw being clamped, sleeve 2"], and collars 200 and 262 will remain stationary, even though rod 204 continues to rise a little farther, compressing spring 208, and raising nut 2I4 a little above collar 262.

The spring 2 I 8 lowers the sleeve and arm when permitted to do so by the low part of cam I66. Thus, the screw clamp I96 is spring controlled in both directions so that it accommodates itself to variations in the height and shape of screw heads, and so that obstructions in the path of movement of the screw clamp will not cause breakage of the drive mechanism.

Mounted on the bracket 220 (Figure 6) is an electric switch 222 arranged to be engaged by an extension 224 of the arm I84, in the event that the chute 88 has failed to supply bolts or screws to the block 86. In such case, the bifurcated portion I98 of the arm I84 will move upwardly, closing the gap which is always present between collar 202 and nut 2M when a screw head is clamped, and the extension arm 224 will actuate the microswitch 222. The switch 222 may be connected in any suitable time delay alarm circuit or safety circuit (not shown) to warn the operator or to stop the machine after a predetermined time.

The arm I 88 is positioned adjacent the arm I84 and carries an ejector device 226 (Figures 1, 4 and 5) for engaging the head of a screw element in the slide block 86 and ejecting said element therefrom as the block moves toward the chute 88. A similar ejector 228 (Figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7) is mounted on the arm I86. The arm I86 at its rear extremity is provided with a bifurcated arm portion 230 (Figure 7) fitting between the end collars of a sleeve 232 which surrounds the lower portion of a cam follower rod 234. The cam follower rod 234 engages the cam I14. The cam follower rod 234 at its upper extremity is formed with a flattened side 236 which 6 bears against a guide member 238 mounted on the guide bracket 220.

In order that the various arms I82, I84, I86 and I88 may be actuated by their cam followers, the reciprocating bar 50 is provided with slots or apertures 242 and 244 so that the bar does not engage any of the cam follower rods.

The sleeve 232 (Figure 7) is limited in its upward movement relative to the rod 234 by a stop nut 246. A spring 248 is interposed between the stop nut 246 and the bracket 2 20. The spring 248 biases the cam follower rod 234 against the cam I14. The cam follower rod in its lower portion is provided with a collar or flange 250 for engagement by a spring 252 which engages the underside of the sleeve 232.

In operation, cam I14 (Figure 7) raises follower rod 234, spring 252, and sleeve 232, as a unit, and also raises arm I86, against the action of the light spring 248. The spring 248 lowers the rod, sleeve and arm when permitted to do so by the cam I14. The sleeve and arm are thus raised by the cam and lowered by light spring 248 acting on the cam rod. The chief function of the heavier spring 252 is to give or compress if some obstruction such as an improperly positioned screw, or non-standard sizes or shapes of screws, should get below the ejector at points 228, 256 or 258 (Figure 7), and cause obstruction and possible breakage.

The ejector 228 vis formed with a downwardly bent portion 254, a forwardly and upwardly bent deflector portion 256 which engages the head of a screw in the carrier 86 and moves the screw outwardly therefrom to remove it from the carrier, and a depending deflector portion 258 which has a curvature such that the screws during the ejection operation will be deflected outwardly and downwardly from the screw carrier to fall into a suitable receptacle (not shown) beneath the machine. The ejector 226 is a duplicate of the ejector 228.

The slide 50 is provided with a stud 260 (Figure 1) which carries a roller 262 (Figure 2) which follows the cam groove in the cam wheel 48. The cam groove in the wheel 48 is so formed that a dwell portion of the order of is provided for each limit position of the reciprocable bar 50. During the period of these dwells, the reciprocable bar 50 is latched in position so as to prevent movement of the bar 50 during the time that either of the slotting saws 16 and 82 is in engagement with a screw blank carried by the blank holder or carrier 86. In order to so look the reciprocable bar 50 periodically, the looking device illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10 is provided. The main drive shaft 36 carries a cam 266 (Figures 8, 9 and 10) which actuates a cam follower 268 mounted at an intermediate point on a lever 210. The lever 210 is pivotally mounted on a depending support 212 which is secured to the underside of the bed plate 92 adjacent one side thereof.

The bed plate 92 adjacent the other side is provided with a recess 294 in which is mounted a relatively heavy spring 296. The spring 296 surrounds a pin 293 which is pivotally connected to the outer extremity of the arm 210. The lever 210 at a point between the outer extremity and the cam follower surface 268 is provided with a notch or recess 300 which receives a pin 302 mounted on, and extending transversely from, a lock pin 304. The pin 304 is mounted on," or formed integrally with, a reciprocable rod 306. The rod 306 is slidably mounted in a bracket 368 suitably secured to the underside of the bed 92; The bracket 353 adjacent its lower extremity is provided with a groove or slot 310 in which travels a guide pin 3l2, secured to the lower extremity of the rod- 356. The lock pin it-t is slidably guided in a bearing member 3H3 mounted in the bed plate'92. The upper extremity of the lock pin 364 has a tapered portion 3H3.

The reciprocable slide 50 carries on its underside a. hardened insert 3H3 having two apertures 32 and.322. These apertures are spaced apart a. distance equal to the distance of movement of the reciprocable bar 5!). ihe cam 2% has two active. surfaces 326 and 326 so spaced that the lever 2') will be released for downward move- 7 ment from the position shown in Figure 8 just prior to the time that the cam follower roller 2,61 leaves one of the two dwell portions of the cam 48. As soon as the cam follower 2% drops off. one of the dwells of the cam 266 to engage one of the active cam surfaces 324 and 32S, the lever 2H: is movedv downwardly by the stronger spring 29', thereby forcing withdrawal of the locking pin 3% from the recess 3E5 or 3-29 with which it was engaged. By the time the other limit of the movement of the reciprocable bar 50 is reached, the cam 286 will have raised the lever Zlil and hence a spring 328, mounted between the boss on the bracket 3% andv the lower extremity of the locking pin 36%, will cause the locking pinto move upwardly into the other of the recesses 3 I 6 and 326.

From Figures l1, l2 and 13 it may be seen that the screw holding slide or carrier 85 is positioned accurately on the portion at of the reciprocating bar 59 by a plurality of pins 33% and 332. Two fastening bolts 3% and are used to secure the slide 86 on the portion The slide 86 has in its forward face two recesses 338 and 3% which are inclined at an angle equal to the desired angle of inclination of the slot to the screw shank axis. The slots 338 and 340, as shown in Figure 13, may have a V-shaped bottom wall or surface 3:322 so that the screw elements may readily seatthemselves in the recesses; may be firmly supported during slotting, and yet adequate clearance is provided to avoid. improper seating due to dust, dirt or grease accumulating in the recesses. lhe forward face of the slide 35 is-inclined to the vertical and is substantially perpendicular to the inclined feed chute 83 to facilitate the feeding of the screw elements to the slide and to present the screw shanks to the saws at the proper angle for. slotting.

The heads 35B of the screw elements are re ceived on inclined or recessed surfaces 345 and 346 normal to the recesses 33% and 34% which receive and position the shanks 3418 of the screw elements for formation of the inclined slots therein.

As shown in- Figures 2, 4 and 5, the slot forming saws l6 and 32 are positioned in a vertical plane. be mounted at an angle so as to tilt the saws at the desired slot-angle. In such case, the shank-receiving recesses 338 and 3 1i! in the slide 88 may be vertical or perpendicular to the upper surface of the slide and the head-receiving recesses 34 3 and 346 eliminated.

In slotting screws of the type in which the slots are to beparallel to the shank axis, both the saws and the shank-receiving recesses may be disposed in vertical planes.

It will be evident that by removal of the Allen head attachingscrews 33d and 336, the slide 88 However, the shafts of these saws may 7 may be removed for replacement by another similar slide having, however, different sizes'of shank and head receiving recesses or recesse inclined at different angles or vertically disposed for handling a different size or type of screw 7 element.

In operation the motor 62 continuously drives the slotter saws it and t2 through the common shaft 58, the plurality of silent sprocket chains l8 and 8d and the shafts l2 and 80. The saw mounting frames are alternately swung toward and from the screw carrier under the control of the cams 5'56 and its driven by the motor 28, which also drives the slide bar 5% through the common shaft 36 and the cam t8.

Let it be assumed that the slide bar 553 is in the limit position shown in Figure 4 and that the screw element has been slotted by the saw 82. The slide bar Ellis first unlatched from the bed plate 92 and the cam 2st releases the lever Elli so that the spring 2% withdraws the pin 33 1 from the aperture 322. At the same time, or just prior thereto, the cam liiii (Figure 6) releases the rod 284 and the spring 2E8 raises the lever arm its to release the screw head clamp 636. The bar 53 then moves rapidly to the left to its other limit position.

As the bar to moves from the position shown in Figure 4 to its other limit position, the'cam lid releases the arm 533 (Figure 7) for downward movement by the spring 248 so that the ejector 228 is raised to permit the screw in the carrier 39 to pass thereunder.

The lever 18% is, however, raised, or held in raised position, during this movement of the screw carrier, by the cam lot so that the screw ejector 225 is lowered and the screw head engaging deflector portion of this ejector, corresponding to the deflector portion 255 of the ejector 228, is engaged by the head of the screw and directs the screw outwardly from the carrier and releases it from the recesses 36% and 346. When the screw has been withdrawn from the recess,.it engages that deflector portion of this ejector which corresponds to the deflector 'portion 258 of the ejector 223, and is tossed outwardly and downwardly from the screw carrier into a suitable receptable beneath the machine.

By the time the bar 5% reaches it other limit position, the cam 28% (Figure 8) will have raised the lever 22 2i and the spring therefore snaps pin. 3% into the aperture 326 to lock the bar in that limit position. At the same time, or just subsequent thereto, the cam H2 will, by raising a rod similar to the rod 25-4. of Figure 6, lower the lever arm I82 to clamp the screw to the carrier by means of a screw head engaging clamp similar to the clamp 19%.

The screw carrier 35 is now so positioned that a screw'element clamped in the recess 338 is posi-- tioned in the path of'movement of the slotter saw 16. The cam lit new releases the mountingframe for the saw :12 so that it is moved or swung inwardly by a' spring corresponding to the spring I58 (Figure 6) and the saw 72 thereupon engages and slots the screw shank.

'When the screw carrier is positioned in its left'limiting position, the recess 3 2d in the screw carrier will'be aligned with the screw feeding chute and the screw element will, therefore, fall into the recess from the feed chute.

As soon as the saw it has completed its slotting operation, the cam lit forces a cam follower, cor-responding to the follower "552 of Figure 6, outwardly ftoswing the saw frame and saw away from'thescrewoarrier. The slide bar 50 is then released for movement to the right by operation of the cam 266, which releases the pin 304 for unlatching by the spring 294. The lever arm I82 is now raised by the cam I12; the bar 50 is moved to the right by the cam 48; the screw ejector 228 is lowered or held in lowered position by the cam I14 and the screw ejector 226 is raised by the cam I68. The slide bar, having reached its right limit position, is relatched by the pin 304 under the urging of the spring 328; the lever I84 is lowered by the cam I66 so as to clamp the screw in the carrier, and the saw frame 82 is then released for swinging movement toward the carrier, under the action of its spring I50.

As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the machine may be provided with cut-off means for detecting a broken slotter saw. Such means may comprise brackets or mounting plates 352 secured to the arm I of the mounting frame for the saw 82 and the corresponding arm of the mounting frame for the saw 16. These mounting plates and microswitch units 354 are fastened to those arms by screws 356. Levers 358 are pivoted intermediately their ends on lugs 360 of the mounting plates 352 and are formed with rounded upper ends urged into contacting relation with the saws by means of springs 362 encircling lugs on the levers and the mounting plates and interposed therebetween.

As illustrated in Figure 16, the rounded upper end of each lever 358 engages the body of the associated saw at a point inwardly of, but adjacent the teeth of the saw. At its other end, each lever 358 is provided with a threaded aperture receiving a set screw 364 secured in adjusted position by a nut 366. The screw 364 engages the operating plunger 368 of the switch unit 354. A dust cover 310 encloses the switch unit and its operating plunger.

The microswitch units may be connected in series in the usual relay control circuit for the saw drive motor 62 (Figures 1 and 2) to open the motor circuit when, on breakage of a saw or stripping of its teeth, the upper end of a lever 358 is freed for outward movement under the action of its spring 362 to operate its associated switch unit 354.

As shown in Figures 18 to 20, the machine may be provided with suction means for holding screws securely seated in the V slots of the carrier 86 when the machine is being used at very high speeds, or when handling short, top heavy screws. For that purpose, each of the screw receiving V slots 338 and 340 in the outer face of the carrier 86 is provided in the base of the V with one or more small openings or slots 312 in fluid communication with longitudinal fluid communicating passages 314 in the body of the carrier. The passages 314 are maintained in fluid communication with a longitudinal slot 316 in the rear face of the carrier by transverse fluid passages 318. A stationary suction plate 380 rests upon the extension 94 of the slide bar 50 and abuts the rear face of the carrier 86. The suction plate is provided with a centrally positioned, transverse passage 382 which, by reason of the fact that slot 316 is of length at least equal to the distance of movement of the carrier, is constantly in communication with the passages of the carrier. A supply pipe, hose or other conduit means 364 is connected to the passage 382 and to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown) or other source of sub-atmospheric pressure.

The suction plate is yieldably maintained in engagement with the carrier by springs 386 seated in recesses in a stationary plate 388 secured in any convenient manner to a fixed support 389 mounted on the bed 92 and abutting the brackets I16 and I18 (Figure 4) for the pivot shaft I80. Pins 390 received in companion apertures in the plates 380 and 388 hold the suction plate against longitudinal movement. It will be evident that the suction pressure in the conduit 384 is communicated to the openings in the bases of the V slots and, therefore, the suction pressure applied to the shanks of the screws firmly hold the screws to the carrier during their conveyance to and from the slotter saws.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the reciprocating bar 50 moves a very short distance between two limiting positions or slotting stations and that as it move from one slotting station to the other, the feed chute is kept closed at its lower end to prevent screws from falling therefrom; the screw element just slotted is ejected from the screw carrier, and a new screw element is carried to the other slotting station.

It has been found possible by this machine to slot screws at a tremendously higher rate of speed than has been heretofore possible with other types of slotters.

In the event that a screw carrier fails to receive a screw element from the feed chute, the screw clamp carried by the lever I84, or a corresponding screw clamp carried by the lever I82, will permit its associated lever to move downwardly a greater than normal amount and the electric switch 222 associated with the lever I84, or a corresponding switch associated with the lever I82, will actuate an alarm or stop the machine, after a predetermined number of screws have been missed, through a time delay relay.

It has been pointed out that the reciprocating bar 50 is preferably counterbalanced by a similar bar 52 actuated in l-degree phase relation by the common cam 48. It will, of course, be appreciated that the counterbalancing bar 52 may be provided with a screw carrier corresponding to the screw carrier 86, and that duplicate screw clamping, ejecting and slotting mechanisms may be provided, and the capacity of the machine thus doubled. It will also be appreciated that the reciprocating bars could be greatly extended in length, and that there could be several feeding stations and slotting saws on each bar.

It will be further evident that the principles embodied in this machine and the mechanisms shown herein may be adopted for the slotting of heads of screw elements or other headed. fasteners by so arranging the mechanisms that the reciprocating screw carrier presents the heads of the screws rather than the shanks of the screw to the slotter saws 16 and 82.

The machine can be driven at different rates of speed by changing gears 32 and 34. Some types of screws flow quickly and freely down the hopper chute 88, and the machine is set at a high speed to handle these screws. Other screws, particularly those with a short shank and large head, can be fed only at a slower rate, and the speed of the machine must be reduced to suit these.

In order to hold screws securely seated in the V slots of the holder 88 when the machine is being used at very high speeds, a vacuum system can be used as an accessory.

While for the puropse of illustrating and describing the present invention, it has been convenient to show the invention as applied to a particular operation and certain components have been" employed in the assembly of the machin'ait is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, since such variations in the components, in their arrangements, and in the general assembly are contemplated as may be commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the following claims.

This invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An automatic screw slotting machine having a reciprocable block for carrying screw elements, a screw slotting saw for slotting said screw elements mounted in said block, bilaterally resilient clamping means for clamping said screw elements in said block while being acted on by said saw, a source of screw elements for supplying screw elements to said block, and means connected to said clamping means for producing an indication whenever the clamping means moves too far because said block has not received a screw element from said source.

2. An automatic screw slotting machine having a reciprocable block for carrying screw elements, a pivotally mounted screw slotting saw arranged for movement toward and away from said block, bilaterally resilient means for clamping a screw element in said block for holding said screw element while being acted on by said saw, said means including a pivoted lever connected to a reciprocable member, cam means for actuating said block and said reciprocable member, bilaterally resilient means interposed between said reciprocable member and said lever, positive means for limiting the movement of said lever in one direction relative to said reciprocable member, and

signal means including a microswitch positioned so as to be actuated by said lever whenever said lever is actuated by said spring to the limit of its movement.

8. An automatic screw slotting apparatus com prising a reciprocable block for carrying screw elements, said block having a pair of recesses, a source of screw elements for supplying screw ole merits intermittently one at a time to said recesses, bilaterally resilient means for clamping screw elements in said block, a pair of pivotable slotting saws arranged to pivot toward and away from said block, means for periodically reciprocating said block, bilaterally resilient means for periodically latching said block in position, and

means for alternately holding saidslotting saws out of engagement with screw elements held by said reciprocable block.

4. An automatic screw slotting machine comprising a reciprocable clock for carrying screw elements, shiftable bilaterally spring biased means positioned externally or" said block for clamping screw elements against said block, a pivotally mounted screw slotting saw, shiftable extraction means for ejecting slotted screw elements from said block, and means for reciprocating said block and shifting said. clamping means, said ejecting 'means and said slotting saw in timed relation to position a screw element carried by said block in the path or" the saw, clamp the screw to the block, sh"t the saw into and out of engagement with a clamped screw, release the clamped and slotted screw element and eject the slotted screw element from the block.

5. An automatic screw slotting machine com prising a reciprocable block for carrying screw elements, means external of said block for rigidly securing screw elements in said block, extraction means external of said block and shiftable toward and away from the path of reciprocation of said block for ejecting slotted screw elements from said block, a pair of substantially axially aligned pivotally mounted screw slotting saws pivotally about a common axis, sequence operation means 7 including a plurality of cams for controlling the action of said screw holding and ejecting means and for alternately moving said slotting saws toward and away from said block, a cam having large dwells for reciprocating said block, and bilaterally spring biased latching means for holding said block in fixed position during the dwell period of said cam, said latching means being arranged to be released by said sequence operation means. a

6. An automatic screw slotting apparatus comprising a reciprocable block. having a pair of recesses in the face thereof for receiving and carrying screw elements, means for supplying screw elements to said recesses, a pair of extraction ejectors bilaterally spring biased, a cam for actuating said eiectors to alternately move each ejector out of and into the path ofreciprocation of said screw elements, a pair of movable slotting saws, means for alternately placing the screw elements in the paths of said saws as the block is reciprocated, and means for reciprocating said block and alternately shifting said saws in timed relation toward said block alternately to slot the screw elements in the recesses of the block,

WILLIAM C. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 40,588 Rhodes Nov. 10, 1863 150,667 Aiken May 12, 1874 580,171 Allen Apr. 6, 1897 696,756 Rundquist Apr. 1, 1902 907,435 Alfery Dec. 22, 1908 1,058,813 Townsend Apr. 15, 1913 1,151,020 Kunz Aug. 24, 1915' 1,292,245 Bunker "Jan. 21, 1919 1,408,916 Wilcox Mar. 7, 1922 1,520,684 Aldeen Dec. 20, 1924 1,584,263 Wilcox s May 11, 1926 1,611,17'. Fenlason Dec. 21,1926 1,629,705 Holmeberg May 24, 1927 1,793,646 Stimpson Feb. 24, 1931 1,899,221 Ward Feb. 28, 1933 1,921,403 Bell Aug. 8, 1933 1,938,939 Smith Dec. 12, 1933 1,962,742 Jongedyk June 12, 1934 1,966,510 Medbury July 17, 1934 2,221,464 Lahodiakin Nov. 12, 1940 2,253,515 Grob Aug. 26, 1941 r 2,311,268 Tannewitz Feb. 16, 1943 2,423,704 Hood July 8, 1947 2,487,187 Seigfried Nov. 8, 1949 2,528,330

Bechler Oct. 31, 1950 

